Tag Archives: Ramona Jennex

“Boo! Ramona” This is what we saw on some orange signs in Port Williams a few days ago. We wish we had taken a picture as the next time we passed by they had disappeared in a ghostly fashion. We suppose that they are a clever comment on Ramona Jennex’s decision to overrule the Kings Co. proposal on farmland rezoning.

The provincial ministerial review of the proposed Port Williams Secondary Planning Strategy (SPS) and associated land use amendments has cleared Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations Minister Jennex’s office: the upper portion of the land along Collins Road will remain farmland, which will restrict residential development. This land represents approximately half of the area the County of Kings requested be rezoned. [The Register , Oct. 7]

Area residents are reaping the benefits [or not, depending on your point of view] of their NDP vote.

Kings North MLA Jim Morton said he is pleased a decision has been made. He commended Jennex for balancing the need for growth while protecting agricultural land in Kings County.

So it is either the status quo or accept Ramona’s restriction. That’s a rock or a hard place. The farmland issue is not going to go away. The pressure on farmland will only increase unless farming locally becomes more profitable.

Brian Sanderson, a frequent commenter here sent a missive to the NoFarmsNoFood organization and copied to us. We always find Brian’s writing of interest and we pass it on for our readers.

Dear NoFarmsNoFood (NFNF),

I recently received a NFNF leaflet entitled: “No green. No future” with a side bar titled “Bully-boy tactics backfire”

So who exactly is it that has been threatening who and how? Is this a matter that is before the courts? Have you got the courage to call a spade a spade or is NFNF just engaging in cowardly propaganda?

Your position is unrealistic. Nova Scotia is urbanizing. The strip between Kentville and Wolfville is one of several obvious growth areas. The biggest centre of urbanized growth is Halifax+surrounds. The provincial government seems determined to grow the NS population by importing people faster than our kids can leave! The NFNF strategy will result in all urban development focusing on the Halifax district. If that is your desire, then might I suggest that you lead the way by moving yourself. Certainly, if everyone with one of your signs picked up and moved to Halifax we would have a whole heap of abandoned residential areas reverting to yet even more unused farmland!

As for your statement about environmental degradation, it is abundantly clear that it is the shear weight of human numbers that is responsible for that. (“Globalization” has the effect of spreading human impact more uniformly over the planet.) I am heartily fed up with green nitwits and politicians who adopt the attitude that we should crowd ever more people onto this planet and offset the effects of that crowding by the “green strategy” of requiring each individual to live a diminished life style with diminished resources and ever more oppressive regulation and bureaucracy.

I have no time for cowards, or idiots, or hypocrites — regardless whether they come packaged in green, or as politicians, or whatever. That is not a threat, it is a statement of fact. Green used to be quite a pleasing colour. Frankly, nowadays, “green” makes me quite queasy.

This video interview is enlightening. Kirk Staratt indicates a number of issues in Kings South which he thought were of concern including the future of Wolfville school, the layoffs at ACA, and farm land use issues which attendees at the open house might have brought up. But apparently those many people who attended didn’t have any issues.

Most of issues I am hearing are celebratory issues..

She mentions the funding for the farm market and how happy everyone was with that. That tells us exactly who was there, that there weren’t any real farmers at the open house. And it tells us that perhaps Ramona didn’t see all the negative comments about this expenditure of taxpayer money, how it doesn’t really help farmers or other businesses, scathing remarks which appeared following the online article in the CH (link has expired sadly)

And the concerns about the school? People were “very assured” that the issue would be taken care of by the school board.

“I’m not hearing any concerns at this point… I’m hearing optimism… people knowing there is a process in place and this process is being applied. “

And it appears there weren’t any ACA workers at the open house either or they were mute.

“I didn’t hear anyone talk today about ACA …

Today, I didn’t hear any really big concerns,” she said. “It was actually more of a celebration today, and I was really glad to hear that.

Kirk insists on talking about real issues – so what about agricultural land issues and development pressures. Her thoughts? She refers to a Committee. She couldn’t remember the names but Kirk must have looked them up to put in the text article accompanying the video.

...the new Agricultural Land Review Committee …. Jennex said she was happy to be able to name two members to the committee, which includes Rick Williams of Salt Springs, Pictou County; and John Van de Reit of Shubenacadie, Hants County; Bill Swetnam of Centreville, Kings County; Patricia Bishop of Port Williams, Kings County; and Lise LeBlanc of Newport, Hants County. …

“They’re meeting with people across Nova Scotia looking at the issue of land,” she said. “When they come back with their recommendations, the Department of Agriculture and myself will be looking at those recommendations.”

What is the most challenging issue, Kirk asks.

” time …I don’t want to use the words issues. I want to use the word projects…. The forward thinking of people in Kings South is unbelievable … I brag about this all the time…. for example in Wolfville, the town just gave away land for Habitat for Humanity. …”

There you go. Bring forward your favorite charity and the taxpayer will shell out for it.